Gen. 13:1-18 Abram and Lot Separate

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So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. 2Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.

13:2 had become very wealth. Abram left Egypt with greater wealth than he had before--even as Israel would later leave Egypt laden with wealth from the Egyptians (Ex 3:22; 12:36).

3 From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier 4and where he had first an built altar. There Abram called on the name of the LORD.

13:4 Abram called on the name of the LORD. As he had done earlier at the same place (see 2:8).

5 Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 6But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. 7And quarreling arose between Abram's herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.

13:6 the land could not support them. Livestock made up the greater part of their possessions, and the region around Bethel and Ai did not have enough water or pasture for such large flocks and herds (see v 10; 26:17-22,32; 36:7).
13:7 Perizzites May refer to rural inhabitants in contrast to city dwellers.

This is why I want to build that life-line chart. I believe one of the sons was name Periz. I am going to have to look that later and get back to you. Thanks.

8 So Abram said to Lot, "Let's not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers. 9Is not the whole land before you? Let's part company. If you go to the left, I'll go to the right; if you go to the right, I'll go to the left."

13:8 brothers. Relatives (as often used in the Bible).
13:9 Abram, always generous, gave his young nephew the opportunity to choose the land he wanted. He himself would not obtain wealth except for the LORD's blessing (see 14:22-24).

10 Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, toward Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11So Lot chose for himself the whole plain o the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: 12Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. 13Now the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD.

13:10 plain. The Hebrew for this word picturesquely describes this section of the Jordan Valley as oval in shape. like the land of Egypt. Because of its abundant and dependable water supply (see note on 12:10), Egypt came the closest to matching Eden's ideal conditions (see 2:10). The LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. See especially 18:16-19:29. The names Sodom and Gomorrah came proverbial for vile wickedness and for divine judgement on sin. Archaelogy has confirmed that, prior to this catastrophe, the now dry area east and southeast of the Dead Sea (see note on 10:19) had ample water and was well populated.
13:12 Lot...pitched his tents near Sodom. Since the men of Sodom were known to be wicked (see v 13), Lot was flirting with temptation by choosing to near them. Contrast the actions of Abram (v 18).

14 The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. 15All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. 16I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. 17Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you."

13:14 Lift up your eyes...and look. See Dt 34:1-4. Lot and Abram are a study in constrasts. The former looked selfishly and coveted (v 10); the latter looked as God commanded and was blessed.
13:16 like the dust of the earth. A simile (common in the amcient Near East) for the large number of Abram's offspring (see 28:14; 2Ch 1:9; see also Nu 23:10). Similar are "as numerous as the stars in the sky" and "as the sand on the seashore."
13:17 walk through...the land. Either to inspect it or to exercise authority over it, demonstrating the promised ownership.

18 So Abram moved his tents and went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an alter to the LORD.

13:18 Mamre. A town named after one of Abram's allies (see 14:13)

For reasons that are many, I will not be writing all the commentary for each verse, should it appear viable. It may be redundant. If you would like to check on the meaning, location, usage, etc. of a word, feel free to use the "Search The Bible" link at the top of the page.

I thought it might have been a good idea, but I am not so sure now. It isn't actually explaining much, except for tellng me to go to places where I can find it written again! Um, how does that explain it to me? I'm sorry. I will continue to use the ones which help, while leaving the others on the page from whence they came.

Originally posted 1/16/2006 @ 12:04 pm